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From: kort@hounx.UUCP (B.KORT)
Newsgroups: net.puzzle,net.math
Subject: Re: Logic puzzle creation query
Message-ID: <444@hounx.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 11-Dec-85 21:35:54 EST
Article-I.D.: hounx.444
Posted: Wed Dec 11 21:35:54 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Dec-85 08:16:24 EST
References: <4253@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> <435@hounx.UUCP>, <214@yale.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
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Xref: watmath net.puzzle:1244 net.math:2616

Thomas Andrews writes:

>In article <435@hounx.UUCP> kort@hounx.UUCP (B.KORT) writes:
>>Smullyan is one of the 6 greatest living mathematicians.  He is
>>enormously entertaining.  He is also one of the greatest exponents
>>of the Socratic Method that I have ever encountered.  Many of his
>>puzzles are presented in the form of dialogues (after Socrates and
>>Lewis Carroll).  Those of you who are also into Hofstadter will
>>find the link between them in _The Mind's I_.  When the world seems
>>hopelessly irrational, vexing, and perplexing, it feels good to spend
>>time with minds like Smullyan and Hofstadter.  Enjoy.

>>--Barry Kort
 
>   Has Smullyan actually done anything significant?  Meaning no disrespect,
>but I think of Smullyan as clever version of Martin Gardner?  Any support of
>the claim that he is one of the "6 greatest living mathematicians?"  Greatest
>in what sense? He's a clever communicator,and a bright problem solver, but as
>a mathematician, what has he contributed to the field?  Anyone out there with
>details?
>
>-- 
>					      Thomas Andrews
>					      andrews-thomas@yale


I should point out that the selection of "the six greatest living
mathematicians" was done by a professional organization.  It's been
a while since I saw the (rather handsome) poster extolling the
accomplishments of the 6 nominees.  (I saw it on a bulletin board on
the Stanford University Campus.)  I regret that I don't recall the
name of the organization or the other details.  Perhaps someone
on the net has seen the same poster and can provide the details.

Smullyan has written a number of well-written books on logic and
philosophy.  His latest book is entitled _To Mock a Mockingbird_.
It's an ornithological approach to combinatorial logic.  It's a
fun book, but I must confess that I didn't understand it at its
deeper levels.  Like Hofstadter, Smullyan is able to illustrate
Godel's Theorem in a number of delightful ways.  I like Smullyan
because he makes mathematics fun.


				-- Barry Kort
				...ihnp4!houxm!hounx!kort

	A door opens.  You are entering another dementia.
	The dementia of the mind.